Profiling Mike Chastain
Maumelle Charter’s Ethan Chen named a National Merit Semifinalist; Baptist Health clinic opens in Rose City; Travs in the playoffs, Friday Night Lights plus sports and headlines
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Meetings: The Maumelle City Council will meet next Monday night at City Hall.
Events: The River City's Men's Chorus has a series of fall shows starting at 3 p.m. on Sunday at St. James United Methodist Church in Little Rock's Pleasant Valley neighborhood. Other shows are at 7 p.m. on Monday and Tuesday night. There's also a fourth show but it will be at Ouachita Baptist University in Arkadelphia on Sunday, Sept. 22. The shows will feature the music of Craig Courtney, who will also be at the Little Rock shows. The performances will also feature the premiere of Courtney's "Jesus, Lover of My Soul." The shows are free, and fill up fast, so get there early.
Tickets for sale: Tickets are now for sale for this fall’s Simmons Bank Championship presented by Stephens at Pleasant Valley Country Club in Little Rock. To buy tickets, click here. Daily tickets start at $30. Packages will eventually be available as well but not yet. For more on the event, keep scrolling.
Maumelle candidate profiles: Mike Chastain
Maumelle will have only one contested race in this November's election, for Ward 1, Pos. 1 on the City Council.
ArkansasNewsroom.com sent a questionnaire to each of the three candidates who have declared and will be running them weekly through September.
The order in which they will run, is the order in which they were submitted.
The Q&A has been lightly edited and formatted for publication.
Sneak peek
Maumelle candidate profiles: Barry Brown (To be featured on Sept. 19)
Now up is Mike Chastain, below.
>> What motivated you to run for City Council?
Desire to give back to the community I live in & address issues I am concerned about
>> Have you run for office before?
No
>> What have you done in the community to be involved in Maumelle happenings?
22 year resident, former board member & president of Country Club of Arkansas POA for seven years, former member of Maumelle Chamber of Commerce, local business owner,
>> We’re nine-ish weeks out, and what kind of campaign events have you done and what do you have planned?
I visited over 70 homeowners to qualify & plan to visit many more to learn their concerns plus providing each of them with my campaign card stating my focus. I will be placing signs & mail campaign cards to each of the 2358 homes in my Ward 1. Each of these will have my email mike@maumellematters.com.
I am planning to have a meet & greet in late September.
>> If elected, what are some priorities for you and your ward, and do you have plans to sponsor any legislation in your first few months in office?
Minimize tax burden on residents
Reducing traffic congestion
Limit high density housing
Encourage local business growth
Strength audit oversight
>> You’re running for Steve Mosley’s seat and did you agree or disagree with his approach to service on the city council?
Some agreement and some disagreement
>> As you’ve been out on the campaign trail, what are some of the complaints or concerns you’ve heard from your ward?
Improve communication with city hall
Improve transparency of city contracting
Improve accountability of annual audits
>> Anything else you’d like to add?
Licensed General Contractor
Personal file
Family: Married 38 years to Amy Chastain with three grown children and four grandkids.
Educational background: Graduated from LR Central High, then received BS in Chemical Engineering from UofA
Employment history: Five years as process engineer (Allentown, Penn.) and 35 years as business owner of multiple Arkansas based businesses.
Veteran: No - but oldest son is and was wounded in combat in Afghanistan
Community extracurriculars: Member of Maumelle-based Business Network (BNI) group, member of Southern Barter group, regular golfing at Country Club of Ark (CCoA)
Any other personal information you’d like out there? Christian, loves to display American flag, avid dog walker with my spouse (who also happens to be the love of my life and is an exceptionally good cook so I am twice blessed), value my neighbors, enjoy all that Maumelle has to offer (walking paths, great parks, golf, pool, community centers
Maumelle Charter’s Ethan Chen named a National Merit Semifinalist
Maumelle Charter High School senior Ethan Chen, below, was recently named a National Merit Semifinalist.
Also named National Merit Semifinalists were CAC's Noah Minker and North Little Rock's Jonah Pulliam with 135 being named for the state out of a total of 16,000 nationally.
“To become a finalist, Ethan and I are working together to submit a detailed scholarship application,” said Maumelle Charter principal Katie Johnson. “The 2024 National Merit Scholarship winners will be announced next spring and summer.”
Maumelle Charter’s Annika Pecanty was named a National Merit semifinalist last year, the school’s first.
Election year curriculum available to local high schools
Since 1994, the Washitaw Foothills Youth Media Arts & Literacy Collective (www.WFYMALC.org) has worked to activate the youth electorate in Arkansas through its Voter Registration, Education and Participation Program. This year, the collective has partnered with The Civics Center (www.thecivicscenter.org), a national non-partisan non-profit organization headquartered in Los Angeles, to introduce National High School Voter Registration Week to Arkansas.
National High School Voter Registration Week has been held in over two dozen U.S. states since 2019, and it was founded by The Civics Center, a collective of current and former social studies teachers, school principals, and superintendents.
For the last month, representatives have been meeting with multiple Arkansas school superintendents, principals, and election coordinators to plan an inaugural observance of National High School Voter Registration Week here in Arkansas to prepare students for the upcoming November election.
“When you consider that during the 2020 general election, less than half of the 18-24 year-old voting population here in Arkansas were even registered to vote, you are missing quite a few young people whose voices have been silenced,” said Kwami Abdul-Bey, the co-founder of the collective, “Today, there are an estimated 40,769 young people who will have turned 18 years old by election day, and if we do not do something different here in Arkansas, nearly 20,000 eligible high school students could be denied their right to vote.”
The Civics Center will provide free interactive and practical curriculum resources to help support high school students, and their teachers, organize non-partisan, youth-led voter registration drives in their high schools and the surrounding communities.
Coupled with the registration drives, Abdul-Bey has worked with a few county election coordinators to establish a pilot High School Election Page Community Service Program where several dozen high school students will receive full election worker training and work at the polls from the beginning of early voting to election day. Participating high school students will receive academic credit, volunteer LEARNS Act hours, and additional excused absences for the days that they work at the polls. Additionally, those who are 18 years old will also get paid.
The first public school district to begin planning to bring both of these programs is the Pulaski County Special School District where it will offer them at Joe T. Robinson, Maumelle, Mills and Sylvan Hills high schools.
For more information, contact Abdul-Bey at kwami@WFYMALC.org or 501-725-1337.
Baptist Health clinic opens in Rose City
Sept. 4 was a big day in Rose City as the Baptist Health Family Clinic opened at 4200 E. Washington Ave.
The clinic is a partnership between the city and Baptist Health.
The project cost a total of $5 million and covers 5,000 square feet. It was designed by Taggart Architects of North Little Rock and built by Maumelle’s Alessi Keyes Construction.
“Baptist Health continues to provide quality health care and we are pleased they have partnered with our city in creating this health clinic for our residents,” North Little Rock Mayor Terry Hartwick said. “The east part of North Little Rock is the fastest growing part of our city. The location of this clinic is vital for North Little Rock.”
Hours will be from 8 a.m . to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.
To view additional photos from the event, click here.
Friday Night Lights: Maumelle loses to Parkview
Parkview 51, Maumelle 6
Last week: It looked like it would be competitive. Maumelle hung with Little Rock Parkview through the first half as the Patriots were held to just three field goals but a switch flipped in the third quarter as Brad Bolding's team scored four touchdowns, three in under a minute of action, and it was over. Parkview ended up winning 51-6 as the Hornets lone touchdown was by junior running back Jacob Henry, who finished the game with 159 yards on 11 carries, in a very lone bright spot.
This week: Maumelle travels to Vilonia this week as the Hornets are No. 7 in Class 5A, while Vilonia is unranked. The Eagles won their season opener against Sylvan Hills last week.
Records: Maumelle 1-1, Vilonia 1-0
Maumelle schedule
Aug. 31`: ... Maumelle 36, Sylvan Hills 0
Sept. 6 … Parkview 51, Maumelle 6
Friday … at Vilonia
Friday, Sept. 20 … Bye week
Friday, Sept. 27 ... at Beebe
Friday, Oct. 4 ...at Pine Bluff
Thursday, Oct 10 … vs. Watson Chapel
Friday, Oct. 18 ... at Jacksonville
Friday, Oct. 25 … vs. White Hall
Friday, Nov. 1 ... at Searcy
Thursday, Nov. 7 … vs. Robinson
Friday, Nov. 15 … First round of playoffs
For the online roster, click here.
North Little Rock was off
Last week: North Little Rock had the week off.
This week: North Little Rock travels to Class 6A No. 2 Benton this Friday night after having last week off. Despite not playing, North Little Rock dropped out of the hootens.com Class 7A rankings. Benton also didn't play last week after losing to Bryant in the Salt Bowl in the season opener.
Records: North Little Rock 0-1, Benton 0-1
North Little Rock schedule
Aug. 31... Rogers 43, North Little Rock 0
Sept. 6 … Bye
Friday ... at Benton
Friday, Sept. 20 ... at Catholic (War Memorial Stadium)
Friday, Sept. 27 ... vs. Pulaski Academy
Friday, Oct. 4 ... at Conway
Friday, Oct. 11 ... vs. Little Rock Southwest
Friday, Oct. 18 ... at Little Rock Christian Academy
Friday, Oct. 25 ...at Little Rock Central
Friday, Nov. 1 ... vs. Bryant
Friday, Nov. 8 ... vs. Cabot
Friday, Nov. 15 … First round of playoffs
For the online North Little Rock roster, click here.
Stuttgart 41, CAC 7
Last week: Touchdowns haven't come easy for CAC this season as the Mustangs again struggled on offense in last week's 41-7 loss at Stuttgart. CAC also only managed a single touchdown in the season-opening loss to DeWitt.
This Week: It really feels like this game should have a name, Church of Christ Bowl doesn't exactly sing but it is what it is as Harding Academy travels to Mustangs Mountain as two of the state's three Church of Christ-affiliated schools face off. Harding Academy is ranked No. 2 in Class 5A while CAC is unranked. The Wildcats lost their season opener last week to Marion.
Records: CAC 0-2, Harding Academy 0-1
CAC schedule
Aug. 31 … DeWitt 31, CAC 7
Sept. 6… Stuttgart 41, CAC 7
Friday, Sept. 13 ... vs. Harding Academy
Friday, Sept. 20 … Bye
Friday, Sept. 27 ... vs. Heber Springs
Friday, Oct. 4 ... vs. Riverview
Friday, Oct. 11 ... at Hall
Friday, Oct. 18 ... at Lonoke
Friday, Oct. 25 ... at Bald Knob
Friday, Nov. 1 ... vs. Mills
Friday, Nov. 8 ... at Forrest City
Friday, Nov. 15 … First round of playoffs
All games kickoff at 7 p.m. unless noted
Rankings from hootens.com
Sports
Els, Kelly commit to inaugural Simmons Bank Championship Presented by Stephens
Two of the top players in the current Charles Schwab Cup standings, No. 1 Ernie Els and No. 10 Jerry Kelly, have declared their intention to compete in the inaugural Simmons Bank Championship, Oct. 21-27, tournament officials announced this week.
Els, 54, is a World Golf Hall of Fame member, who has won six times on the PGA TOUR Champions, with three of those victories coming this year. One of those wins, the Kaulig Companies Championship in Akron, Ohio, is a major on the circuit, which he won in July.
The South African's PGA TOUR career included 19 wins from 1994 through 2012 and seven Presidents Cup appearances. Els was a three-time major championship winner during that span, including the 1994 U.S. Open, the 2002 Open Championship and the 2012 Open Championship, his last win on the PGA TOUR.
Kelly, 57, has accumulated eleven titles on the PGA TOUR Champions, including the Kaulig Companies Championship as his one major title. He has six top ten finishes so far this year.
The Madison, Wisconsin native and resident, won three times on the PGA TOUR from 1991 through 2016 and played on one Presidents Cup team for the U.S.
The inaugural Simmons Bank Championship presented by Stephens will be held at Pleasant Valley Country Club in Little Rock, with activities throughout the week of Oct. 21-27. Tournament play will take place Friday, Oct. 25 through Sunday, Oct. 27. The tournament will serve as the second round of the PGA TOUR Champions annual Charles Schwab Cup Playoffs. The field will consist of the top 54 players in the standings competing for $2.3 million in prize money and a chance to earn their spot among the top 36 in the final event of the season.
Tickets for the Simmons Bank Championship presented by Stephens — a PGA TOUR Champions playoff event— are now on sale and more options have recently been added for the general public. For a complete listing of ticket options or to purchase tickets, please visit the tournament website at simmonsbankchampionship.com
The Simmons Bank Championship presented by Stephens will be the first-ever PGA TOUR event held in Arkansas, and the first PGA TOUR-sanctioned tournament held in the state since the Korn Ferry Tour's Fort Smith Classic, which was last contested in 2010.
Upcoming Travs games
At Northwest Arkansas - now through Sunday, end of regular reason
Travs in the Texas League Playoffs
Post. Season. Baseball.
It isn’t quite like playing in October but the middle of September will do just fine as the Travs host the Springfield Cardinals in the Texas League playoffs next Tuesday, Sept. 17 in the first game of a best-of-three series.
The other game, or games, will be at Springfield starting on Thursday, Sept. 19 and the third game, if necessary, would be Friday, Sept. 20.
All three games will start at 6:35 p.m.
The Travs also announced a promotion, a mystery bobblehead to the first 500 fans, on Tuesday night.
To buy tickets, click here.
But, wait, there’s more.
If the Travs win the series, here’s hoping, they would then make the following week’s Texas League Championship, also a best-of-three series against the winner of Frisco and Midland.
The South winner would host game one, with games two and three, if necessary, at Dickey-Stephens Park on Tuesday, Sept. 24 and Wednesday, Sept. 25,
Saturday's SEC schedule
Alabama (2-0, 0-0 SEC) at Wisconsin (2-0): 11 a.m. • FOX, SiriusXM: 82
LSU (1-1, 0-0 SEC) at South Carolina (2-0, 1-0 SEC): 11 a.m. • ABC, SiriusXM: 106/191 – 374
Boston College (2-0) at Missouri (2-0, 0-0 SEC): 11:45 a.m. • SEC Network, SiriusXM: 161/190
Texas A&M (1-1, 0-0 SEC) at Florida (1-1, 0-0 SEC): 2:30 p.m. • ABC, SiriusXM: 106/191 – 374
Tulane (1-1) at Oklahoma (2-0, 0-0 SEC): 2:30 p.m. • ESPN, SiriusXM: 81
UAB (1-1) at Arkansas (1-1, 0-0 SEC): 3:15 p.m. • SEC Network, SiriusXM: 161/190
Ole Miss (2-0, 0-0 SEC) at Wake Forest (1-1): 5:30 p.m. • CW, SiriusXM: 132/192
UTSA (1-1) at Texas (2-0, 0-0 SEC): 6 p.m. • ESPN, SiriusXM: 81
Vanderbilt (2-0, 0-0 SEC) at Georgia State (1-1): 6 p.m. • ESPN+, SiriusXM: 106/191
Georgia (2-0, 0-0 SEC) at Kentucky (1-1, 0-1 SEC): 6:30 p.m. • ABC, SiriusXM: 84 – 82
New Mexico (0-2) at Auburn (1-1, 0-0 SEC): 6:30 p.m. • ESPN2, SiriusXM: 83
Toledo (2-0) at Mississippi State (1-1, 0-0 SEC): 6:30 p.m. • ESPNU, SiriusXM: 374
Kent State (0-2) at Tennessee (2-0, 0-0 SEC): 7:45 p.m. • SEC Network, SiriusXM: 161/190
Pandemic deaths climb
The state Department of Health has finally updated its Covid death numbers and the state’s dashboard said there’s been 320 Covid-related deaths in 2024, previously the number was 294. The virus has now killed 13,964 Arkansans since the pandemic began four years ago. That would mean the pandemic death toll has now passed Marion’s 13,635 people, the state’s 29th largest city.
Covid toolkit
There’s now a one-stop shop to learn about vaccination sites and other Covid related information. Click here to learn more.
If you don’t want to get sick and die, there’s some things you can do:
Get vaccinated
Get boosted
Wear a mask
Avoid crowds